Author's Note: This is a continuation from the movie 'Dear Frankie'. The stranger in this story is the same person from my other story 'Dreams of You'. The differences are going to be that he has taken a different path and made different choices in his profession-kind of an alternate universe sort of thing. Also, I don't own Dear Frankie or any of its original characters. Please read and review!

Chapter 1

Dear Frankie,

I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of your little family even if it was just for a short while. You see, I've been a sailor for many years and didn't realize what I'd been missing; not having a family of my own……..well except my sister, Marie.

Marie was the one who wrote to me that your daddy had passed away and I was very sorry to learn about that. She also wrote that you knew the truth about me. Please forgive me for pretending…

The sound of annoying laughter interrupted his thoughts. The chortling came from the upper berth.

Patrick rolled his eyes and attempted to continue writing.

"Ha! Hey Patrick, ya gotta hear this one!" Bob, his bunkmate/ best friend told him with a smiling face looking upside down at him from the upper bed. "What do ya call a snail on a ship?"

Patrick looked up at his friend's face with a smirk. "What?"

"A snailor!" Bob chuckled. "Isn't that great? My nephew wrote that in his letter. Says he got it from Spongebob-some cartoon character."

Patrick managed a nod and a weak smile. Bob was a character. He was one of those kinds of people who always had a joke to tell and a constant source of entertainment for many of the crew. Bob looked over to Patrick's pen and paper curiously.

"What have ya got there, Patrick? Still writing to Marie? Tell her I said hi!" Bob opened his eyes wide and questioned in a mock dramatic tone. "Or are ya writing another letter to Frankie?"

Patrick half-regretted sharing his experiences with Bob about his last shore leave. But the ship could be a lonely place. He had found Bob to be not only a friend, but a good listener. Patrick's bluish-green eyes met Bob's brown ones with a warning.

Bob knew that look having known this man for some years being able to read when it was okay to push and when to back off. "Alrighty then," Bob said as he retreated back to his laying position on his bunk.

Patrick continued to write.

Please forgive me for pretending to be him, Frankie and always know that I hold the most precious memories of you and your mammy in my heart and always will. Take care of yourself and your ma. Write back if you can.

Your Friend,

Patrick

Patrick reread the letter and sighed. He knew Frankie would never read this letter. He shoved the letter hastily into a folder where he kept all his other unmailed correspondences. Some to old friends. Some to Frankie and too many to Lizzie. How could he send them? It just didn't seem right.

"This last letter from Marie…" Patrick hesitated as if in a daze. "Well, she said that Frankie's dad died."

"Whoa!" Bob laughed responding from the top bunk; his loud voice filling the tiny room. He knew it was easier for Patrick to communicate this way. This was the way they had many of their discussions. "Good thing, eh, Pat? Saved us the trouble," Bob told him jokingly.

Patrick had certainly entertained the thought of it when Lizzie had told him about what his father had done to Frankie. He had thought of all the pain and suffering this man had inflicted on these two people whom Patrick had grown to care for so much in such a short time. Now, all he could do was reflect.

"Marie also wrote that Frankie knew I wasn't his dad."

It was silent now for a moment then Bob spoke again. "How do ya suppose he knew that?" he inquired.

"She didn't say in her letter. I don't know. Maybe I wasn't very convincing….or maybe I slipped up," Patrick paused, stood up, and faced his friend looking fairly devastated.

"Or maybe….he just figured it out because he's a smart cookie."

"Yup, you've told me as much before. He must've somehow figured it out," Bob agreed. "Why don't ya just send him the letter then?"

Patrick looked down and leaned against the wall. "I just can't, Bob. I lied to him. I pretended to be his dad. How would you feel?"

"I think I would feel happy that out of nowhere…." Bob looked up thoughtfully and scratched his chin,"a kind man cared enough to give me a last good memory of my dad and spent two enjoyable days with me." He cleared his throat and said in a quieter voice, "And my mother."

Patrick nodded. He knew Bob couldn't resist throwing Lizzie into the conversation. Ever since Patrick had told him about his time with Lizzie, Bob had taken a special interest in hearing more. For that very reason, Patrick didn't tell Bob that Marie had also wrote that Lizzie had inquired about who he was. Just reading that had given Patrick hope. He had felt that there was a connection between himself and Lizzie.

"I'm going to eh….get some air," Patrick told him leaving.

Bob looked down and shook his head. In all the years he had known Patrick this was the first time he had ever shown more than a slight interest in any woman. He was never lacking in female company. He wondered what it was about Lizzie that had seemed to possess Patrick's mind. He spoke fondly of Frankie quite often as well. Often, when Patrick didn't notice Bob had caught him rereading Frankie's old letters to his dad. Maybe it was the appeal of being a part of a family. Or maybe after years at sea Patrick was just ready to settle down.

Bob could recall a love he once had and lost. Bob had made that choice. Patrick wasn't like him, he knew.

Bob made the short hop down from his bunk and plopped onto Patrick's bed. He quickly opened Patrick's folder which he knew contained his letters and immediately found the one to Frankie. Gingerly he replaced the folder back the way he found it. With a quick look over his shoulder to confirm no one was watching, Bob withdrew the missive, folding it carefully and located the envelope already addressed to Marie sitting at the end of Patrick's bed. He took a sharp breath, knowing he was invading his friend's privacy and opened the unsealed envelope and added Frankie's letter to the contents inside. Laying it on his lap, he pressed it down so that it would appear untouched.

"It's for your own good, Buddy," Bob said quietly as he restored the envelope to its former location. Climbing back up into his bunk a pang of guilt struck Bob. He laid there and let the rocking motion of the waves lull him to sleep knowing that someday Patrick would thank him.